Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-06-02
Anour rHnrr FErr souALE.

duodu uo "a" a bthOh bHtSh "PoH NuS
water
ABOUT THREE FEET sQUALE.
STEADY, steady" he cried to Captain
Josh; the whale is on the false bar, and
will be aground here in a.. IL was
too late. The powerful strokes of the
oarsmen had driven the boat hard on the
black shoulder of the whale, which was
showing above the green water. The
whale did not stir as the sharp keel of
the boat grated over her hide. 1t was a
bold thing to do, but Gabe did not hest
tate, and the next instant he plunged the
iron harpoon into the soft blubber of the
monster full "a inches. Still the whale
did not stir, and a suspicion arose that it
was dead Once more the powerful Gabe
drove his harpoon into the yielding mass,
and the effect this time vas like touching
off magazine with a lighted match.
The great black flukes of the whale sud
denly lifted themselves out of the water
and raised the boat fully ten feet in the
air. There was a naddened paroxysm
of anguish. A whirl of the great black
hukes in the air as they descended smash
ed three oars, a row-lock, and swept Cape
from the bow of the boat as if he had
boat stearer was thrown straight into the
air say the eye-witnesses IN the boat, fully
thirty feet, and dropped insensible in
the water He lay like log on the
waves, and his companions in the boat
made desperate efforts to go to his assis-
lance before he sank. 1t was no easy
task, for the wounded leviathan was
kicking, plunging, thrashing around with
his tail and churning up the sea water in
a manner that made immediate prox-
imity to him anything but safe.
CAPTAIN Josh yelled ''all astern" at the
top of his voice but with only three oars
left in working order managing the boat
was easier said then done. If they had de-
pended on the three oars the boats crew
would have been left at the mercy of the
Infatuated whale, which had evidently re-
ceived mortal wounds, cor he
sPoUTED BLOOD IN PROPULSION,
but his death struggles gradually drew
him away from tae boat, and the rope
that bound him TO his enemies was quick
/ ly served by blow from Ratchet. Once
[ safe from the terrible sweep Of the foxes
4 the oqrsmen went to the help OF their
| boat-steerer, who still foated insensible
\
/ sink and drown VAS a mystery that has
no. yet been explained. Captain JOSH
I pulled his brother into the boat and the
/ proceeded to pump water out of him af
/ ter the fashion taught by the life-saving
men. 1t did no good, and, not knowing
/ whether they had live or dead man
they pulled back to the shore. The other
I boats which had been manned and start
! - I'll.
so with the feeling of men attending q
/ funeral. The observers on the shore saw
I the whale disappear in the distance. As
far as could be seen he was madly lash
ing the waves with his tail, and kicking
mp in the throes of death with the two
harposns sticking into his shoulders.
Among the crowd on shore to watch the
return of the boats was Mrs. Gabe
/ Edwards. When she saw her husband
/ lifted out of the boat and laid on the
beach still unconscious. she promptly
screamed and tainted. This added to the
dismal ending 20 the whale HINT which
( had begun amid the hopeful shouts of the
hardy population of Amagansett.
While the women attended the fainting
/ Mrs. Edwards, the men made another
effort to pump the sea water out of her
: huHbduOs 1tNEAdl AAAdEAr were lhENtl
out by the continuous action of his arms,
1 but Gabe still remained unconscious.
His body was then lifted into wagon
and taken to his home, followed by ali
the visitors. Messengers were sent hur-
rying for medical help and DR.. Halsey
arrived, and, after sounding the injured
mans lungs, pronounced him still alive.
/ Morphine was administered and watch
kept on the patient all night He re-
manned in a comatose state until a. N.
yesterday, He then turned over, opened
his eyes, stared at the watcher at the
bedside for a moment and asked, "Where
Is the whale?n He was assured that the
whale was all right, and seeming salts
fed with the statement relapsed into
stupor. All of yesterday he was stupid,
and his talk more or less incoherent, but
DR.. Hslsey thinks he will recover. He is
about So years old. To-day several boats
go out to make search for the whale,
for it Is believed that il is dead. If his
body has not sunk il will be towea ashore
snd converted into oil and whalebone.
This is the fourth whale of the season
TO appear of Amagunsett, and only one
which has not been captured. The Os-
borne boys, John and Oliver, of Bridge
hampton, hnrpooned s tfty-foot whale
a week ago aud killed him after an ex
citing race in which the whale towed the
/ h0vs af-ht rnifaz a a ta~rIhla zreai A.